Dufferin County Council members and senior staff are attending the 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa from August 16 to 19, 2026 to advocate for community and regional priorities.

Representatives from the County will join thousands of participants representing the 444 municipalities across Ontario to take part in the annual conference. County Council and staff will help amplify community member voices to inform provincial and federal decision-making on the issues that matter most to them.

This year, Dufferin County will be meeting with provincial representatives to:

• Discuss improvements needed to the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Program;
• Support the Western Ontario Warden Caucus in its advocacy on infrastructure and housing, mental health and homelessness, and the workforce and the economy; and
• Support the Town of Grand Valley on delegations related to funding for the wastewater sewage pumping station project for residential and employment lands and the reporting burden that municipalities face.

AMO works to make municipal governments stronger and more effective. Through AMO, Ontario’s 444 municipalities work together to achieve shared goals and meet common challenges.

At the AMO Conference, participants will participate in hundreds of delegation meetings between municipal governments and provincial ministers. In addition, delegates will have an opportunity to pose direct questions to provincial cabinet ministers.

At this year’s conference, AMO is calling for provincial action on municipal priorities that impact communities in every corner of Ontario, including:

1. Long-term infrastructure funding for housing and the economy
2. Fully fund health and social services that are provincial responsibilities and,
3. Work with municipal and federal partners to address the homelessness crisis.

Program information is at www.amo.on.ca.

“The AMO Conference provides an excellent opportunity for Dufferin County to show how we’re supporting provincial priorities and getting results for our community. It also allows us to meet with representatives from the Province and highlight the challenges that matter most to our residents. This year, we look forward to advocating for improvements to the CWELCC Program and on regional priorities like infrastructure and housing, mental health and homelessness, and the workforce and the economy, and supporting our partners at Grand Valley in their delegations.”

-Lisa Post, Warden, Dufferin County

“Local governments turn policy into everyday results — building neighbourhoods, running transit, keeping parks safe, and delivering the services that help communities thrive. Municipalities are stepping up — investing in communities, completing major capital projects and responding to local needs with quality services — but we need the province to start paying its fair share of capital and operating expenses.”

-Robin Jones, outgoing AMO President

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca